Crime and Public Safety
US ATTORNEY NEWS RELEASE: ABINGDON, Va. – A Marion man pleaded guilty today to using force or the threat of force to interfere with federally protected housing rights based on the race or color of the victims.
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, James Brown, 41, burned a cross on the front yard of an African-American family in the early morning hours of June 14, 2020. One of the family members had organized a civil rights protest the day before in Marion. Brown admitted to burning the cross to two witnesses and also was known to use racial epithets when referring to the African-American family.
“Acts of hatred, intimidation and the threat of force, carried out by the racially motivated cross burning in this case, illegally interfered with their federally protected housing rights,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bubar said today. “This illegal, divisive behavior destroys communities and will not be tolerated. I’m proud of the work of the FBI and our state partners, who brought James Brown to justice.”
“There is absolutely no room for racial intimidation or injustice occurring in our communities,” Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division said today. “FBI Richmond is steadfast in our commitment of protecting residents of the Commonwealth, regardless of race or ethnicity; and will continue to work with our investigative and prosecutorial partners to hold accountable the offenders who attempt to fracture our communities.”
Brown pleaded guilty today to one count of criminal interference with federally protected housing rights based upon the victim’s race.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marion Police Department, and the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary T. Lee and Daniel Murphy are prosecuting the case.
State Police say four Alexandria residents are charged with leading troopers on a high-speed chase that started on Interstate 81 in a vehicle stolen in Lynchburg — and inside the car was a firearm stolen in Winchester.. Troopers say the chase started Monday evening when the car was clocked doing 99 miles per hour on Interstate 81 in Pulaski County, and speeds during the pursuit sometimes topped 120 miles per hour. It ended two counties later at a dead-end lane in Grayson County. Police say the four suspects all took off on foot but were later taken into custody.
NEWS RELEASE: At 7:58 a.m. on Monday (April 19), Virginia State Police Sergeant D.D. Johnson was running radar on Interstate 81 in Pulaski County when an Acura sedan registered 99 mph in a posted 70 mph zone. The sergeant pulled in behind the Acura and activated his lights and sirens in an attempt to stop the vehicle, but the Acura refused to stop. A pursuit was initiated with the Acura reaching speeds of up to 120 mph.
The pursuit continued into Wythe County where the Acura exited the interstate and entered the Town of Wytheville. The Acura then headed south on Route 21 towards Grayson County.
The suspect vehicle continued to elude law enforcement and came to a stop at the end of Winterplace Lane in Grayson County. The four occupants then fled on foot. A search perimeter was immediately established with the assistance of the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, Town of Independence Police Department, Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, Galax Police Department, the Alleghany County, N.C., Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshall Service.
A search of the Acura yielded the recovery of a firearm that had been reported stolen in Winchester, Va. The Acura had been reported stolen in Lynchburg, Va.
Over the course of several hours, all four individuals were located and taken into custody:
- Malikai Robert-Elija Crawford, 21, of Alexandria, Va., was charged with possession of stolen property (Vehicle), possession of a stolen firearm, possession of firearm by convicted felon, possession of concealed weapon, reckless driving and one felony count of eluding police.
- Reyanna Malikia Foreman, 19, of Alexandria, Va. She was charged with possession of a stolen firearm.
- Two juvenile males, both from Alexandria, Va., were charged with numerous offenses, including possession of stolen property (vehicle) and possession of a concealed weapon.
Crawford and Foreman are being held at the New River Valley Regional Jail.
The incident remains on going at this time
Photo from BCSO
The Bedford County Sheriff’s Office says a sting operation led to an arrest for allegedly stealing a pontoon boat, then trying to sell its motor. Officials say the boat was stolen in December in the Thaxton area, and investigators later learned Eric Nichols tried to sell the craft’s motor. They posed as buyers, and after the sting transaction was completed, they found the boat and arrested Nichols for grand larceny. He is currently jailed without bond.
NEWS RELEASE: On December 13, 2020, Bedford County Sheriff Office received a report for a stolen Apex Pontoon Boat from the Thaxton Area. Investigators became aware of a suspect by the name of Eric Nichols through tips from the community.
On April 13, 2021, Investigators became aware that Nichols was attempting to sell the motor from the stolen pontoon boat.
On April 14, 2021, Investigators with the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office purchased the motor from Nichols (a sting operation), which resulted in his arrest for possession of stolen property. A search of Nichols property was conducted, and Investigators located the stolen Apex Pontoon Boat. Which resulted in warrant for Grand Larceny being obtained for Nichols, and he is currently being held with no bond at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority in Bedford, VA.
NEWS RELEASE: On Friday evening, April 16, 2021, deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the McCoy area of the county for a suspicious vehicle, which was trespassing on private property. Deputies located the vehicle, which was occupied by three adults and following a brief interaction, the deputies requested the assistance of narcotics K9 Maxx. When the K9 was deployed it alerted on the vehicle and subsequently a search was conducted.
Photo: HCSO
NEWS RELEASE: On April 17, 2021, at approximately 8:42 pm, the Martinsville-Henry County Emergency 911 Center received a call that an individual had been shot at 1163 Jarrett Dr., Bassett, VA. Deputies arrived on the scene and encountered the suspect outside of the residence. The suspect was taken into custody without incident.
Deputies entered the residence and located the victim lying on the floor. The victim had suffered at least one gunshot wound to the chest. The Henry County Department of Public Safety also responded to the residence, and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim has been identified as Kaleb Tremaine Greene, 24, of Maple St., Martinsville, VA. The victim was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the Western District of Virginia, where an autopsy will be performed.
Through the course of the investigation, it was determined that Kaleb Greene was visiting the home located at 1163 Jarrett Dr. Greene was involved in an argument inside of the house when the suspect, Isaiah Jeremiah Dillard, 21, of 1136 Jarrett Dr., Bassett, VA produced a firearm and shot Greene. Greene and Dillard were acquainted with each other.
Isaiah Jeremiah Dillard was charged with first degree murder and use of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He is currently held in the Henry County Jail without bond.
Anyone having information regarding this homicide is asked to contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 276-638-8751 or Crimestoppers at 63-CRIME (632-7463). The Crimestoppers Program offers rewards of up to $2500.00 for information related to crime. The nature of the crime and the substance of the information determine the amount of reward paid.
MGN
State police say a familiar phone scam is back in the region — and back in big numbers. Troopers say they have received many recent reports where the caller claims to have the victim’s child and demands money for his or her release. You might even hear a child screaming in the background. Police say while the calls originate from outside the country, they will often have what appears to be a local number.
FROM VIRGINIA STATE POLICE: Just to give everyone a heads-up. We have been receiving a number of calls again where the caller is claiming to have the victim’s child and they are demanding money for their release. This is a scam that has been coming around every couple of years and is designed to place the victim in a panic. The caller may even have a child screaming in the background. These calls are being generated from outside the country, but may have what appears to be a local phone number.
Photo: Danville PD
Federal prosecutors say a Danville man has been arrested after two years at large for embezzling more than $600,000 from a bank where he served as head teller. In 2018, Danville Police stated in a search warrant affidavit that 30-year-old Jose Navarro replaced the money with counterfeit movie prop bills. Officials say Navarro was found March 31 after police in Durham, North Carolina encountered him covered in blood and fleeing the scene of reported gunfire. A search of his apartment led to his arrest.
NEWS RELEASE: DANVILLE, Va. – Authorities in Durham County, North Carolina arrested Jorge Navarro, a former teller at URW Community Federal Credit Union in Danville, after two years of flight on federal charges of embezzling $617,000, Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar and Special Agent in Charge Gerald W. Page of the Secret Service’s Richmond Field Office, announced today.
Navarro, 30, of Danville, was charged in a sealed indictment in October 2019 with one count of embezzlement and one count of passing counterfeit U.S. currency to URW Credit Union. The indictment was unsealed last week following Navarro’s arrest in North Carolina.
According to court documents, Navarro was the head teller at a branch of URW Community Credit Union. Between July 2017 and September 2018 Navarro allegedly embezzled $617,000 from the credit union, replacing the money he stole with counterfeit bills.
Following the illegal activity alleged in the indictment, Navarro fled and remained a fugitive until his arrest on March 31, 2021 in North Carolina. According to court documents filed in the Middle District of North Carolina, on March 31, 2021, Durham, N.C. police responded to a report of gunshots. When officers arrived, they encountered Navarro, who was using a fake name. Navarro was covered in blood and fleeing the scene of the reported gunfire. Police searched an apartment being used by Navarro and discovered cocaine and several firearms. They also found multiple forms of false identification, leading to Navarro’s arrest.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Secret Service and Danville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Swartz is prosecuting the case for the United States.
MGN
NEWS RELEASE: The Franklin County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call at approximately 11:20amon April 12th, 2021 for a well-being check at the residence of Walter Sigmon and Carol Long. A Franklin County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the 11000 block of Franklin Street in Ferrum, Virginia and located the female resident of the home. She advised the deputy that Walter Gail Sigmon, 62 years old of Ferrum, was deceased inside of the residence. Through the investigation, Carol Elizabeth Long, 59 years old of Ferrum, has been arrested and charged with Second Degree Murder. She is being held without bond. This was an isolated incident with no threat to the community.
AP image
An army lieutenant has filed a lawsuit accusing officers in the town of Windsor of drawing their guns and pepper spraying him during a traffic stop last year. The situation has prompted Governor Northam to call for an independent investigation. WFIR’s Clark Palmer has the latest.
The town of Windsor has announced that one of two police officers accused of pepper-spraying and pointing their guns at a Black Army officer during a traffic stop has since been fired. The announcement from the town on Sunday night came hours after the governor called for an independent investigation into the December 2020 encounter. U.S. Army second lieutenant Caron Nazario, who is Black and Latino, filed a lawsuit this month against two Windsor officers, accusing them of drawing their guns, pointing them at him, pepper-spraying him and knocking him down among other actions. Windsor officials said an internal investigation determined policy wasn’t followed and Officer Joe Gutierrez has since been fired.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia’s governor is calling for an independent investigation into a traffic stop in which two police officers were captured on video pepper-spraying and pointing their guns at a Black Army officer before striking his knees.
Gov. Ralph Northam called the December 2020 encounter “disturbing” in a tweet on Sunday, adding that he directed Virginia State Police to review what happened during the stop in the town of Windsor.
U.S. Army second lieutenant Caron Nazario filed a lawsuit earlier this month against two Windsor police officers, accusing them of drawing their guns, pointing them at him and using a slang term to suggest he was facing execution before pepper-spraying him and knocking him to the ground.
“Our Commonwealth has done important work on police reform, but we must keep working to ensure Virginians are safe during interactions with police, the enforcement of laws is fair and equitable, and people are held accountable,” Northam said in his statement calling for a review of the actions.
The two sides in the case dispute what happened, but Windsor Police Officer Daniel Crocker wrote in a report that he believed Nazario was “eluding police” and he considered it a “high-risk traffic stop.” Attorney Jonathan Arthur told The Associated Press that Nazario wasn’t trying to elude the officer, but was trying to stop in a well-lit area.